Cartridge for exploding gasolene for breaking up land.



J. F. SIMONDS.

CARTRIDGE ron EXPLODING GASOLENE FOR BREAKING UP LAND.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, l9l5.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Zlrwmvtm; Simonds JUSTIN F. SIMONDS, OF RIVERDALE, MARYLAND.

CARTRIDGE FOR EXPLODING GASOLENE FOB BREAKING U]? LAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Application filed June 25, 1915. Serial No. 36,274.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JUs'riN I SIMoNns, acitizen of the United States, residing at River-dale, in the county ofPrince George and State of Maryland, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Cartridges for Exploding Gasolene for Breaking UpLand; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improved cartridge for exploding gasolene andadapted to be buried and exploded in soil for breaking up the soil foragricultural or horticultural purposes and to a greater depth than ispracticable by the use of a plow or spade, the object of my inventionbeing to provide an improved cartridge which is extremely cheap andsimple and which is adapted for exploding the vapor of gasolene andhefice for the use of gasolene as an explosive agent in breaking up soiland enabling the same to be done very much more cheaply than is possiblewith the use of dynamite or other similar cartridges such as have beenheretofore used for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a vertical sectional View of agasolene explosive cartridge constructed and arranged in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, on a smaller scale, showing thecartridge buried in the soil and provided with a charge of gasolene andwith a percussion cap and fuse for igniting the charge and causing thecartridge to explode.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide a cartridge shell 1 which inpractice is preferably cylindrical and is also preferably made of paperand at very slight expense. Any suitable material may be used within thescope of my invention and I would have it understood that I am notlimited as to the particular material of which the shell is made. Theshell is provided at its ends with heads. 2-3 which in practice are alsopreferably made of paper and inserted in the bore of the shell andsecured thereto by a coating of a suitable material such for instanceshellac varnish and which is indicated at the upper end of the cartridgeat 4 and at the lower end of the cartridge at 5. The coating of shellacvarnish is also applied externally of the cartridge shell at its lowerend for a distance of about two inches more or less as shown, to makethe lower portion of the cartridge waterproof. The intermediate portionof the cartridge is provided with outlet openings 6 suitably spaced andof which a suitable number may be provided.

In practice, when the cartridge, tube or shell is made of heavy strawboard, two inches in diameter and nine inches long I extend the waterproof coating 5 two inches above the lower end of the shell and make theopenings 6 one fourth of an inch in diameter and about an inch apart.These proportions may be varied. The upper head 3' of the cartridge hasa central opening 7, which is generally about one half an inch indiameter.

In the use of my improved cartridge a hole of the proper diameter anddepth is bored in the earth either by means of an earth auger or asuitable iron bar and into the bottom of which hole I first pour two orthree tablespoonfuls of gasolene. A like quantity of gasolene is pouredinto the cartridge shell through the opening 7 in the upper end thereof,a common blasting fuse 8 is inserted through the opening 7 and slot morethan half way down into the cartridge shell and at the lower end of saidblasting fuse there is an ordinary percussion cap 9.

The cartridge containing the gasolene with the fuse and percussion capas above stated is lowered into the hole to the bottom, a wad 10 ofpaper, grass or other suitable material is then placed on the top of thecartridge to prevent the entrance of dirt thereinto and the hole is thenfilled with soil, 9. little at a time and tamped to make it solid to thesurface. The vapor from the gasolene and the air within the shell forman'explosive mixture, some of which passes out of the shell through theopenings 6 into the ground on all sides of the shell. The upper end ofthe fuse is then lighted and when it burns down to the percussion capthe latter explodes in the shell, thereby causing the explosive mixturein the shell and ground, to explode, the explosion being of such forceas to loosen the ground for a considerable distance around the cartridgein every direction and very much more deeply and to a greater extentthan can be done with a plow, hoe or spade. The openings 6 in thecartridge admit the entrance of air to mix with the vapor of thegasolene and form. the explosive mixture. \V1th1n the scope of myinventlon any sultable liquid hydrocarbon can be used.

Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim 1. -A cartridge of the classdescribed comprising a shell closed at its lower and upper ends,provided at points intermediate its ends with outlet openings, having anopening at the upper end for the reception of a fuse, and adapted tocontain a charge of volatile liquid hydrocarbon.

2. A cartridge of the class described comprising a shell closed at itslower and upper ends,v provided at points intermediate its ends withoutlet openings, having an opening at the upper end for the reception ofa fuse, and adapted to contain a charge of volatile liquid hydrocarbon,said shell being made of paper or straw board and being provided with anexternal waterproofing coating at its lower end.

3. A cartridge of the class described comprising a tube having outletopenings at points between its ends said tube being made of paper or thelike, heads of paper or the like in the ends of said tube and the upperhead being provided with a fuse receiving opening, and waterproofcoatings on said heads and securin them at the ends of the tube, saidtube belng adapted to contain a charge of volatile hydrocarbon.

4. A cartridge of the class described comprising a tube having outletopenings at points between its ends said tube being made of paper or thelike, heads of paper or the like in the ends of said tube and the upperhead being provided with a fuse receiving opening, and waterproofcoatings on said heads and securing them at the ends of the tube, one ofsaid coatings also extending up exteriorly of the tube from its lowerend, said tubebeing adapted to contain a charge of volatile hydrocarbon.

5. The method of breaking up ground consisting in forming a hole in theground, placing a perforated shell in the hole, placing a quantity ofvolatile hydrocarbon in the shell, closing the hole above the shell,allowing some of the mixture of air and hydrocarbon vapor formed in theshell to pass from the shell through the openings therein into the roundabout the hole, and exploding the mlxture of air and vapor in the shelland ground.

6. The method of breaking up ground consisting in forming a hole in theground, placing a quantity of volatile hydrocarbon in the hole, placinga shell having an opening above its lower end in the hole, placing aquantity of volatile hydrocarbon in the shell, closing the hole abovethe shell, allowing some of the mixture of air and hydro-carbon vaporformed in the shell to pass from the shell through said opening in theground about the hole, and exploding the mixture of air and vapor formedwithin the shell and ground. y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JUSTIN F. SIMONDS. Witnesses:

G. Honens CARR, CHAS. A. RoBnisoN.

